Pentax announces its first hybrid APS-C camera: the Pentax K-01

Following the hybrid camera trend and after the limited success of the Pentax Q, Pentax is announcing today a new compact camera with interchangeable lenses, the Pentax K-01.

Probably looking to target savvier photographers, the approach of this new Pentax is very different than for the Q, with a much larger APS-C sensor and the use of the existing K mount.

The choice of the K mount will make the K-01 compatible with a large range of lenses directly at launch, whereas the Sony NEXs and the Nikon 1 J1 & V1 offered only a very limited number of brand-new lenses at release. But the K mount design requires a large flange focal distance compared to lenses designed especially for hybrid cameras. This said, the K-01 is still very compact when coupled with its 40mm F2.8 kit lens.

Overall, the use of the K mount certainly makes the K-01 slightly larger than it could have been with a specific mount. For example, the K-01 is larger in every dimension than the Sony NEX-7 (also an APS-C): 120 x 67 x 43 mm (NEX-7) vs 121 × 79 × 59mm (K-01).

In term of its sensor, the K-01 features a comfortable APS-C sensor such as that for the Sony NEX series. So we can expect a pretty good image quality, especially if the sensor is as good as the Pentax K5's, one of the best APS-Cs in our rankings. Another similarity with the K5 is the sensor shift stabilization system, which is a premiere for a hybrid APS-C and can help you avoid pushing the ISO setting and creating unpleasant noise in low-light conditions.

One last thing: in terms of usability, the K-01 seems to offer a reasonable number of controls that are directly accessible through buttons and wheels. But the total absence of a viewfinder is potentially a show-stopper for certain serious photographers, who might otherwise have been interested in this camera.

Overall, this new hybrid camera by Pentax seems much better armed than the Pentax Q in term of image quality, and we are really looking forward to getting a production sample in our lab to compare it with its competitors.

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It’s rare in the world of photography for a manufacturer to come up with an entirely new product line from scratch, and it’s equally rare for a famous manufacturer such as Nikon (the world market leader) to offer a new lens mount (Nikon CX). This makes the launch of the Nikon 1 line (Nikon J1 and Nikon V1) a major event in photography this fall.

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DR-greater than 12ev?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but how can a sensor with 12bit ADC have more than 12ev of dynamic range in screen view? It seems like quantization noise alone should limit the dynamic range to 12ev. I can see how print view would add a half stop of range since in this case you averaging about 2 pixels to make one, so noise is sqrt2/2 of what is was before normalization. Anyway, if someone could explain how this 12bit sensor can have more than 12ev in screen view, it would be appreciated!